Pencil



Sept. 20, 1932. 8H, L. FISCHER PENCIL 7 Filed April '7, 1924 2 sheetseshegt l r 0 M .m I QN N MN H w N aw. MN 8 Nn m NM mfi pm 3 Nu \QN NH mm w QM RN M M NH Sept. 20, 1932. L sc PENCIL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April '7 1924 Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED sr rEs PATENT orricn 1 H EowAnn L. FISCHER, or S'I'..1?AUL, MINNESOTA; 'ASSIGNOR 'rfo BROWN & BIGELOW; Q s'arAuL, MINNESOTA, A. CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA PENCIL AppIi'cation filed April 7, 1924. Serial No. 704,783.

in the other the mechanism will propel and repel the lead by reason of the holding means provided for the marking lead;

The invention includes a simple and effective manner of forming the mechanism and part for holding the threaded portion or tube rigidly within the pencil barrel by having the rear portion of the same engage the barrel by friction in a similar manner as is shown and described in my Patent #1,370,420, of March 1st, 1921. This form of holding the threadedmember within the'pencil casing provides a simple, inexpensive construction and permits the holding of the threaded member without soldering the same to the pencil barrel and yet holds the threaded member against rotation in the barrel. In this construction the threaded member can be removed by exerting sufficient force against the threaded member to Withdraw it from the pencil barrel or shell.

The forward end of the threaded member extends to the conical'tip'of the pencil and is supported or centered by the tip which forms the apex of the conical or writing end of the pencil. I provide a simple tip with a tapered shank which centers the forward end of the threaded member within the pencil casin g and also holds the tip firmly in place in a novel and effective manner. The tip may be secured to the threaded member by a threaded con nection or by friction to firmly hold the same in place.

This invention further includes a lead driving member which coaots with the threaded tubular member held rigidly within the pencil barrel in a manner to engage the threads of the threaded member so that the lead driv ing member will beheld in threaded relation with the threads of the threaded member un til the lead driving memberreaches its exreme forward position. At this point the lead driving member is released and allowed to recede from the threads-of the threaded member to permit the withdrawal of the lead. driving member together with the propelling means or operating member in which the lead driving member or nut with the lead engaging rod are adapted to slide. My invention includes an operating member formed with a longitudinal slot through which the lead driving member or nut pro,

jects in a manner to engage the threaded mem-w ber held rigidly in the pencil barrelr The longitudinal slotted member or propelling means is also provided with atrack-formed dll therein-Which forms a tracker for the outside of the nut of the lead driving member. The

tracking means in the operating member is extended longitudinally and formed integral 'with the ope-ratingmember, being elevated s'ufiiciently to hold the'nut of the leaddriving member in frictional contactor threaded relation with the threads of the threaded member held rigidly in the pencil, until the nut reaches its forward extremity in the slot of the propelling member. At this point the propelling member is formed with a recess intowhich the nut recedes and permits the same to yield so as tochange the threaded relation independe ent of the normal threaded movement, thus permitting the operating member to be with;

drawn withthe leaddrivingmember without unscrewing the same in a similar manner as provided inmy patent hereinbefore mentioned. Thetracker portion formed inthe operating or propelling memberlof my pen-. I

oil may be cut in a manner to form a spring track on which the nut of the lead driving member is adapted to ride or' bear against'to hold the same under spring tension'in contact withthe threadsof the threaded member fixed in the pencil; p V l It is also a feature of the invention to form the propellingor operating member which carries the lead driving means from sheet material. the same being formed in a manner to provide a lead magazine in the rear end of the same and an eraser socket at theback of the lead compartment. 7 The cap for covering the eraser is held over the rear end of the operating member by friction and in a V manner 'to compress the same on the rubber held therein. This provides an inexpensive construction for the lead propelling or operating member.v f V 1 Figure it is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. V

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a central cross section similar to Figure 1 with a slightly different formation of my pencil.

Figure 7 is a detail of a portion of the pencil construction illustrated in Figure 6, a part of which is broken away. and illustrated in cross section.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 in Figure 7. o

In my pencil A the barrel 10 is formed of ordinary'tubing and is swaged at 11 to form thebarrel with a conical end, into which is fitted the writing tip 12.

The tip of the pencil AI is formed of any suitable material and is provided with a constricted opening 13 to provide a support for the marking lead 14 which is adapted to be projected through the writing tip 12; The inner end of the writingtip 12 is formed with a tapered shank 15 which enlarges in toward the shoulder 16 formed adjacent the inner portion of the shank. The shoulder 16 is adapted to engage against the edge 17- of the swaged portion 11 of the barrel 10 when the tipis attached to-the pencil.- The tapered shank 15 properly centers the tip to the writing end or portion 11 of the pencil A.

The pencil A is provided with a threaded tubular member 18 which is formed W th-an unthreaded portion 19 and anexpanded portion 20 which is adapted to'rigidly andfrictionally engage within the pencil barrel 10 at the rear end to hold the threaded member 18 firmly in the pencil barrel.

" The forward end of the threaded member 18 is swaged or otherwise formedto provide a tubular portion 21 which is threaded on its outer end and adapted to engage with the shank 15 so that the shank forms a centering support for the tubular portion 21 and also assists in holding the threaded member 18 within the pencil barrel 10. The threads 22 of the threaded member 18 are formed in a suitable manner in the tubular memberby,

rolling or otherwise,-.to provide a uniform thread fixed within the pencil barrel 10, ahead of the unthreaded'portions 19 and 20 in a similar manner as illustrated in my pat ent hereinbeforementioned. I

The pencil A is provided with-,a'propelling illustrates the propelling or opermember B, which may be formed of sheet material or tubing, is of a tubular construction so as to provide a magazine chamber 23 at the rear end thereof and an eraser socket 24 which is-adapted to support the eraser 25 adjacent the rear of the magazine 23. An annular bead or shoulder 26 is provided against which the eraser covering cap engages to M limit the inward movement of the same. The

erasercap 27 'concealsthe eraser and fr1ct1onally engages the'outer surface of the socket 24 in a manner to compress the same onto the eraser and firmly hold the cap to the propelling member B so that when the cap 27 is engaged it is adapted to support or rotate the propelling member B within the threaded or tubular member 18 which is fixed in the pencil barrel.

The forward end of the propelling member B is formed with a longitudinal extending tracker 28 through which the lug 29 is adapted to extend so as to engage with the threads 22 of the member 18 the lug 29 is adapted to support the lead engaging rod 30 which, together with the lug-29, forms the lead driving member or plunger. 7 I

A tracker portion 31 is formed beneath the slot 28 and extending longitudinally there with in a manner so that the undersurface 32 of the lug'29will ride upon the same and hold the nut in engagement w th the threads 22 of the member 18. The tracker portion extends the greater portion of the slot 28 and is formed by pressing the undersurface of the operating member B inward to provide a projecting track on which the nut is adapted to ride inthe operating member B. At the forward end of the track 31 the recess 33 is formed by the natural formation of the tubular operating member B.

When the operating member B is within the pencil A, as illustrated in Figure 1, and the cap for head 27 is engaged in a manner to rotate the same, the nut 29 is rotated and is held by the tracker portion 31 and the frictional engagement with the threads 22 and when the lug29 reaches the forward end of the slot 28 it will slide off of the tracker portion 21 permitting it to recede to the recess 33. Atthis point the lug 29 will disengage the threads 22 and the propelling member B can be withdrawn without rotating or unscrewing the same, thus providing a means cooperating with thecarrier or lead pusher to permit yielding of the pusher to change the normal threadedmovement.

In the construction of the pencil illustrated in Figured the barrel 10 is the same as illustrated in Figure 1 and the tip 12 is similar inevery manner excepting that instead of being secured, to the portion 21 of the tubular threaded member 18 the tip is held by frictional engagement. In this construction the tapered shank 15 performsthe same function, to center the forward endof the portion 21 masses and also hold the tip into engagement with the edge l7of the pencil barrel 10. The portion :21 inxtlais illustration a separate tubular piece which is adapted to engage within the swa-ging portion 34 formed on the end of the tubular threaded member 18 to simplify th-ecmanufacture. It is obvious that the member 18 can be formed from a single 7 piece rof material including the portion "21,

gagement with the threads 22.

however, if the portion 21 is formed from a separate piece .of tubing it may provide a cheaper construction, which is just as efiectrive, as where the part 18 is formed from 'a single part.

In the propelling "member B illustrated in Figures '6 and i7 thetracker portion-31 operates in a similarmanner as in Figure 1 excepting that the material of the propelling member B is cut in aniannerso asto provide or cause the tracker 81 to provide a :resilient means upon which'the mut29-is adapted to ride. In this construction the tracker 31 will curve upwardly when the lug 29 is of engagement with "the same and in the recess 33 as illustrated in Figure 7. The resilient tracker is illustrated in these viewsof my invention, and is adapted to hold the nut29into engagement with the threads 22 under spring tension and 'Ito"compensate for the Wear in the operating parts of the pencil and to provide resilient means for forming a frictional contact between the propelling member B, nut 29 and'the threaded member 18. Inthis manner frictional contact is provided between these members so as :to hold the same under uniform tension inpperating andto prevent the free withdrawal of the propelling or operating member B while the lug 29 is in en The shoulder 35 on the forward end of the slot 28 holds the lug "29 within the same and the enlarged portion formed on the nut holds the same against removal through the slot 28.

In this construction the rod 30 is provided with a lead receiving socket 36 which is adapted to hold the butt end ofthe marking lead 14in a manner so that the same can be propelled and repelled inthe pencil A. When the lead 14 is propelled and repelled as in the construction in Figures 6 and 7 the tip 12 is formed with the opening 13ofa size so as to slidably engage the marking lead by allowing it to slide through freely without binding so that the same can be propelled and repelled readily when the operating member B is rotated by engaging the head .27.

The tip 12 in the constructionillustrated in Figures 1 and 3 is preferably slit longitudinally from the apex, in an ordinary well known manner, so as to form spring gripping jaws which engage the marking lead under fractional tension to hold the same within the pencil. 1

In the propelling member B, illustrated Figures 6 and 7 Iprovide a spring locking sleeve 37 which is freely rotatable between the shoulders 38 and 39 in a manner'to be held against longitudinal movement and adapted to engage within the expanded portion 20 of the member 18 and to be held therein firmly-against rotation to form a locking means to prevent the free movement of the operating or propelling member B when the pencil is in operation. This locking member 37 can also be readily applied to the construe tion illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In Figure 8 I have illustrated a cross section of the member B which illustrates the spring tracker member 81 cut longitudinally of the member B in a manner so as to provide a sufiicient resilient means to cause the .nut'

29 to engage the threads 22 under spring tension when the same is riding upon the tracker 31;

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of my invention together with the pencil which I now consider to represent the best embodiment lead pusher carried by said tubular member 7 and a resilient tracker formed in said tubular member adapted to hold the lead pusher in engagement with the threads of saidth-r-eaded member. l 2. A pencil, including a plunger to advance a lead, a threaded member held within said pencil, a propelling member including a lug connected to said plunger and adapted to be slidably supported within said propelling member and resilient means formed integral with said propelling'member' to hold said lug into engagement with the threads of said threaded member fixed in said pencil.

'3. In a mechanical pencil having a barrel, a plunger to'operate the lead, a threaded member. engaging said plunger, an operating member for said plunger and tracker means adapted to guidesaid plunger into or out of threaded engagement with said threaded member, said tracker means being adapted .to yieldingly press against said plunger in. a manner to take up inequalities and wear in the operating of said plunger.

4. A tracker in combination with a lead operating plunger and propelling means of a pencil including a track uponwhich said plunger is adapted to ride, a recess formed in said track to permit the plunger to recede in order to change the operating position of the same, said tracker being formed integral withsaid propelling means and being resilient to compensate for inequalities and Wear between the operating parts of the pro-- pelling means.

5. A propelling means for a mechanical pencil including a threaded member, a head for engaging the threaded member, an operating member adapted to carry said head longitudinally slidable therein, a resilient tracker formed in said operating member in a manner to hold said head into threaded relation with the threaded member of said propelling means.

6. A propelling means for a, mechanical pencil including a fixed threaded member, an operating member adapted to extend within said threaded member, a head carried by said operating member slidable longitudinally thereof and adapted to project from a slot in the same and a resilient tracker for supporting said head formed in said operating member in a manner to cause said head to be held in threaded relation with the threaded member under spring tension and to move out of threaded relation at the forward position,

7 A mechanical pencil including a barrel, a threaded member, an unthreaded portion formed on either end of said threaded member, one end of'said unthreaded portion being adapted to frictionally engage said 5 barrel and a writing tip conically formed on either end to support the other end of said threaded membercentrally within the barrel and facilitate drawing the same tight in said barrel. r I

8. A mechanical pencil including a barrel, a threaded member, an unthreaded portion thereon adapted to fix said threaded membe-r within said barrel, a tubular propelling member adapted to support a lead plunger longitudinally slidable in one end and formed with a magazine on the other end and a track for said plunger formed in said propelling member having a recess to permit changing the threaded relation of the plunger independent of the normal threading movement.

9. A mechanical pencil comprising a casing, a lead feeding plunger, means for imparting movement to said plunger, and a spring guide member normally maintaining the plunger in engagement with said movement imparting means, throughout the major portion of its travel, and means in said guide member to release the plungerfrom said engagement at the limit of its lead feeding movement. 7 y

10. A mechanical pencil comprising a casing, a lead feeding unit movable within the casing, means for causing the unit to travel within the casing, and a spring guide member normally maintaining said unit inengagement with its travel causing means, throughout the major portion of its travel, said guide member having a depressed portion to release the unit from said travel causing means at the limit of its lead feeding travel. 1 v

11. In a mechanical pencil the combination of a casing having a threaded portion and a tip, aplunger carrying member, and spring means for normally maintaining en-v gageme nt of said member with the threaded portion of the casing, whereby said member may be caused to travel under spring tension within the casing to advance a lead through said tip, and means for releasing said plunger from said threaded portion when said member reaches a predetermined position in its travel. V

12. A mechanical pencil comprising a casing, lead feeding means including a plunger operatively associated' with the casing for movement longitudinally therein, an internally threaded member carried by said casing and a spring guide normally maintaining the plunger in resilient engagement with the said threaded member throughout the major portion of its travel, said guide having means to release the plunger at the substantial limit of its lead feeding travel.

- 18. In a mechanical pencil having an internally threaded member fixed in the barrel thereof, a propelling member rotatably held in said threaded member, a lead pusher including a lug adapted to engage said threaded member, and a tracker for said lug formed in said propelling member in a ma nner to hold said lug in normal. threaded relation for the greater part of its travel, said tracker being shorter at the forward end than the thread of said threaded member to permit escape of the lug from the influence of the tracker and allow changing of the relative position of the lug and threaded member other than bythe usual threading movement.

14. In a mechanical pencil having an internally threaded member fixed in the barrel thereof, a propelling member rotatably held in said threaded member, a lead pusher including a head adapted to engage said threaded member, and a resilient tracker for said head formed in said propelling'memher in a manner to hold said head under spring tension in normal threaded relation for the greater part of its'travel, said tracker being shorter at the forward end than the thread of said threaded member to release said head from the influence of the tracker and threads and allow changing of the relative position of the head of the. threaded member other than by the usual threading movement. l

15. A propelling member for a mechanical pencil including av tubular member having means for resiliently and slideably supporting a lead plunger Within one end of the same, a, magazine chamber formed on the other end of the same and an enlarged portion integral with and formed adjacent said magazine chamber adapted to receive an eraser.

HOWARD L. FISCHER. 

